Hall of Fame Profile: Terri Lonier Briefs Novice Entrepreneurs

Terri Lonier began her first business in 1978, a pottery studio in upstate New York. In marketing her own work, Lonier found that she had a natural marketing flair. Soon she found herself giving workshops to artists on how to market their work. When they started bringing their friends-owners of other small businesses Terri realized that she could expand her reach and provide business information to the growing ranks of solo entrepreneurs.

Lonier is now the author of five books, including the classic entrepreneurial startup guide, Working Solo. Her book was named the #1 choice for solo entrepreneurs by Inc. magazine and "the free agent's bible" by Fast Company magazine. As the president of Working Solo, Inc., Terri is a recognized authority on the small office and home office (SOHO) market.

As a SOHO professional herself for more than 20 years, Terri knows SOHO from the inside out. "My market niche and resulting brand grew from the fact that I identified an area where I didn't have too many competitors, and I built a brand around it," says Lonier. "When I conceived Working Solo, I knew it would be more than just a book. I knew I could develop seminars, tapes, consulting, and eventually an online component around my brand."

An important consideration in brand extension is realizing that markets change, and it is important to analyze your current and future business opportunities periodically. "My interests, like my brand, are always evolving," says Lonier. "Each year I consider my biggest pains and design the coming year to focus on the most promising opportunities."

When Working Solo came out, for example, there were a limited number of small business marketing books, and competition was not as fierce. But now, because there's an entire aisle devoted to her market niche, Lonier has decided to carve out a new niche, showing the corporate market how to better market to SOHO entrepreneurs.

Terri still works with SOHO businesses, but she also delivers her knowledge on what she calls a "small business revolution" to major corporations through conferences, the media, and her books and seminars. Terri's insights are regularly featured in such publications as The New York Times, Wall Street Journal, USA Today, Fortune and Business Week, and on CNBC, CNN, the BBC and radio programs nationwide.

"Small businesses must be keenly aware of changes in their marketplace," says Lonier. "I initially drew from my core life pursuits, which all involved working solo, to give birth to my brand. Through my ability to adapt to both the challenges and opportunities of my marketplace, I've been able to use "working solo" as the core idea and unifying center for everything in my evolving empire."